Impactful investment in a fairer future.
Help us build a portfolio of stable, resident-controlled homes to fundamentally change housing in the UK.
Why Now?
With over 1 million private renters in London alone, more and more people are locked in a housing model that's failing them. Collective Ownership offers a route out: stable, not-for-profit, resident-controlled homes funded by supportive and patient capital.
The Case
Why this works as an investment
Capital in tangible property assets. Lease income covers servicing. Surplus is recycled into more homes, forever.
Tangible assets
Investments in residential properties.
Scalable
A growing portfolio gains access to more finance on better terms.
Predictable income
Lease rents underpin stable returns.
Mission-locked
Assets held long term in a not-for-profit structure in common ownership.
Investment offer
Download our Investment Offer.
- Pledge: Investors commit capital.
- £10,000 minimum investment amount
- Fixed term: choose from 5 - 25 year investments.
- Compound interest: 0% to 4% per annum, paid at the end of the term.
- More Homes: Surplus recycled to acquire more properties.
Consider Your Options
Longer-term investments, with lower returns, allow lower initial rents. Every pound becomes part of a recycling loop.
Move the sliders to work out your preferred investment!
For amounts above £750,000, get in touch for a discussion.
How many years your investment is held before repayment.
Your yearly return, compounded, paid at the end. A lower rate helps fund more homes.
Paid to you at end of term
£10,949.72 interest earned over the term
Things to remember
- Using this calculator or sending an offer is not a commitment to invest.
- Once an offer is submitted we will be in touch about singing a loan agreement.
- Like any investment, this carries risk. Please read our investor pack.
Submitting an offer not a financial commitment.
FAQ
For investors
Why does Collective Ownership need investment?
Despite the broad demand and urgent need for stable and affordable homes, developing an alternative housing model in today’s market faces one major challenge: access to a large amount of long term, patient capital.
This type of capital is needed because while housing is a straightforward business model (income from rent on residential properties), it takes a long time to service capital costs (loans and investments) at affordable rent levels.
What type of investment does Collective Ownership offer?
Investment in Collective Ownership are made as loans. A loan agreement is signed between you as the investor and The Collective Ownership Society Limited (COS). The loan contract legally binds and protects both parties to the terms agreed as part of the agreement.
What will my investment be used for?
Investment in Collective Ownership is used to purchase residential properties that are then leased to Member Co-ops. The lease rent paid by co-ops creates a steady income stream that:
- Services debt repayments on mortgages and investments
- Builds a major works fund for capital improvements
- Covers building insurance costs and professional fees for admin, surveys, legal work etc
- Creates reserves to acquire more properties
The better the terms of investment (lower interest rate, longer term/period), the more affordable their starting rent can be.
As properties come onto the market, we need to have the funds ready to secure opportunities before private investors.
What impact will my investment have?
Investment in Collective Ownership plays a crucial role in making this alternative housing solution possible. It directly helps people to get housed by providing the capital required to finance property purchases, and make those projects viable at sub-market rents. The more investment we raises, the less the model requires traditional mortgages and the more affordable the rent levels can be. Moreover the impact of your investment has a multiplier effect over time since each property asset brought in to Collective Ownership contributes to leveraging additional property purchases in perpetuity:
Immediate impact:
- Each investment helps Collective Ownership purchase properties for member co-ops
- Residents gain security, stability, and democratic control over their homes
- People who would otherwise be stuck in precarious private renting gain long-term housing
Medium-term impact:
- Lease rent payments create steady income that funds further property purchases
- Your investment enables multiple housing projects over its lifetime
- Communities develop governance skills, social capital, and mutual support
- Model demonstrates viable alternative to private rental market
Long-term impact:
- Properties are permanently removed from speculative market
- Intergenerational benefits, as co-ops continue to house future residents
- Growing movement influences wider housing policy and practice
- Surplus reinvested to expand collective ownership indefinitely
What return can I get on my investment?
Collective Ownership offers a return between 0% – 4% per annum, at the investor’s discretion. The lower the rate chosen by investors, the more supportive it is to the COS mission and the more affordable the rent will be for residents.
Interest are paid out at the end of the term along with the capital. Interests are earned and added to your capital investment yearly and therefore compounds (you get more interest every year).
What are the minimum and maximum investments?
Investment in COS can be anything between £10,000 and £750,000 per investor. For higher amounts, please contact us directly.
Over how many years can I invest?
Investor can choose to invest over anything from 5 to 25 years. Longer investment periods provide more stability and predictability for projects.
Can I get my money back before the end of the term?
Investment in Collective Ownership are for a fixed term and investors should not expect early repayment.
Investors can still make early repayment requests for part or all of their investment. However, while we will consider all request, agreeing to such a request is at our discretion and there is obligation for Collective Ownership to repay investment before the end of the term.
How do I make my investment?
- Submit an offer using the above calculator, choosing your preferred investment terms.
- You will then be emailed a signing link for the loan agreement within 5 working days of your submission, and our anti-money laundering requirements.
- You will receive a copy of the signed loan agreement when signed by both parties (you and Collective Onwership). We keeps a copy of all loan agreements so if you lose yours, you can request a copy.
- You must then transfer the money by the draw down date specified in the loan agreement into The Collective Ownership Society bank account (bank details will be supplied in the loan agreement).
Is my investment secured against property assets?
All investment is used to purchase tangible physical assets in the form of residential properties. Collective Ownership can offer legal charge security against depending on investment amount:
- Investments between £400k – £1m are eligible for second fixed charge security against specific properties.
- Investments above £1m are eligible for first fixed charge security against specific properties.
Is my investment transferable to someone else?
No, investment in Collective Ownership cannot be transferred to somebody else, except in the case of death where they are passed on as part of the estate.
Why choose to invest in Collective Ownership?
Drawing from professional expertise and learning from other alternative housing models, the two-tier structure of Collective Ownership was specifically designed to optimise the use of capital investment and maximise its impact. This is achieved in three main ways:
- Building track record and economic power: investment in CO creates a steady income stream (the lease rent) and a growing asset portfolio mutualised across all projects into an organisation dedicated to growth. When it comes to funding the next project, CO can demonstrate a track record of operation and income, and can leverage on its existing assets to finance new acquisitions and fuel growth.
- Efficient generation and recirculation of income: our legal set-up enables for both resident rent and lease rent to benefit from a dedicated exemption from corporation tax. This allows us to optimise affordability as well as maximising the amount financial resources to put back into expanding the number of homes in Collective Ownership.
- A standardised investment and ownership model: by separating the assets ownership body (COS) from day-to-day housing management, Collective Ownership provides a standardised and consistent framework to form long lasting partnerships with key actors and investors who do not have to dive into the intricacies of specific housing schemes. Meanwhile Member Co-ops can exhibit diversity to cater for a range of housing needs.
Why invest in Collective Ownership over single housing co-op?
Investing in COS directly has several advantages:
For investors:
- The Collective Ownerhsip Society (COS) is professionally managed with expert governance and financial oversight
- Better risk distribution across multiple properties and co-ops
- Higher and longer-term social impact (below)
Impact on the housing sector:
- Ongoing and revolving impact: properties purchased with your investment help to leverage investment in perpetuity.
- COS keeps on growing an asset portfolio and track record and as such can secure better financing terms than new individual projects for future projects.
- Pooled investment allows COS to act quickly when properties become available
- Enables cross-subsidy where needed to support co-ops serving lower-income groups
- Ensures long-term sustainability and growth of the sector
Can my investment be used for a specific project?
Yes, if you have a connection to a particular Member Co-op you can ringfence your investment to fund a property purchase specifically for that group.
If this is the case, you can let us know which member you wish to support after you submit your offer.
Is my investment protected?
Investment in Collective Ownership (COS) is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) or other financial protections. This means that while all the money invested in COS is used to purchase tangible assets and COS has the legal duty to repay your investment on the agreed terms as per the loan contract, investor could still lose part or all of their investment in case of failure.
Collective Ownership has a range of processes to assess and mitigate risks, but investors should consider all the risks outlined in our offer document before deciding to invest, should invest no more than they can afford to lose, and if in doubt should consult professional advisers regarding the legal, tax, financial and other relevant matters to the investment.
Stories
What our investors are saying
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